The 23rd was a very lazy day. We hiked down to Chapel Wall to climb, but when we arrived, we found the climb we wanted to do had some folks on it. Yosemite has a zillion climbs, yet every one we go to has parties all over it. It’s simply maddening.
Since we couldn’t the 5.10-something crack we had hoped to do, we went around the corner and saw a climb that looked ‘not too bad’. This 5.12a sport climb called “Driveby Shooting” was tough – and fun. Dave claims to have been thoroughly spanked. I didn’t see it quite that way. We ended up taking three runs on this climb. My tips were raw by the end of it. It was such fun though!
We peeked back around the corner hoping the 5.10 would be open. No chance. I think the couple was going to bivy on this 50’ classic or something. In fact, they may still be there now from what it looked like.
We hiked over to a 5.11 climbing Dave had done many years before called “Controlled Burn”. In the interim years, a tree that was necessary to get to the first hold died. It was on the ground in a clear state of decay. To get past the blank base of the climb to the first hold now required one to balance on two tree limbs leaning against the wall. One slip and a nasty impaling was certain. We passed and headed back to camp. Though we got little climbing done, it was a fun day.
The 24th was the official start of the facelift so we went to pick up trash. We showed up at the headquarters of the facelift and signed all the necessary “I know I can hurt myself” and “I know I am not getting paid for this” forms. We loaded up on some water, cliff bars and lip balm (value of $20 – cha-ching!).
We got on a special project crew that picked up a bunch of old phone lines and insulators. Special projects during the facelift can be really cool. Last year, some on a special project got to work on cleaning the base of Half Dome – helicopter work! While this project wasn’t as cool as playing in helicopters over half Dome but we did get to work with Ranger Jack and ride around in the SAR van with Ranger Jessie. Like most of the rangers there, they are really terrific people. The lines we picked up stretched from the Ahwahnee to the Washington Column. This was great fun though we wondered about all the guide books that use the “downed power lines” as markers for when climbers are to head up the slope to the wall. I wonder if there will now be several lost climbers wandering around like Mr. E and I did the day before.
After this duty, Ed Hartouni, Dave and I hung out for the raffle. Each day, those who volunteer get their names put into drawings for a variety of prizes. And during this time, there is free beer and wine available (value 20$). They range from bus tickets to Merced (meh) to Mammut climbing rope (yes!). During this raffle, I won a climbing video DVD (a 20$ value). While hanging around, Dave ran into a friend, Enga who came to dinner with Ed, Dave and me. I’d long heard of Enga from Arno, but never had met her. Nice getting to know her a bit while we all ate pizza at the loft. Good times.
A bonus of the day was that we saw a bobcat walking along the side of the road. I couldn’t get the camera in time so I have no photos. We were so close to the cat that we could see the pointy hair on its ears. Very cool.
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